


L is for Leshy

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: The A,B,Cs of Mythical Creatures and Monsters [13]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Folklore, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Magic, Russian Mythology, Violence, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27237997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Daichi's uncle, tired of being forced to take care of a child not his own, leaves him in the forest for dead.
Series: The A,B,Cs of Mythical Creatures and Monsters [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/957069
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	L is for Leshy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dwobbit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dwobbit/gifts).



> "Leshy could take children who were cursed by their relatives (in particular, parents) away to the forest people."

Daichi tripped over a hidden root as he tried to keep up with the quick pace his uncle had set off into the forest with. It was getting dark and Daichi’s hands and knees were scraped raw from how often he had tripped, his small legs unable to keep pace with his uncle.

“Uncle-” Daichi called out, chin shaking as he pulled himself up once more and tried to chase after the older man.

“Shush now boy, and hurry.” His uncle's harsh voice commanded, not even bothering to glance back to make sure Daichi was still following. Daichi was reminded of his mother's last words, she had been so pale and small in the bed.

“ _Be good for you uncle and aunt my sweet boy.” Her fingers had felt dry and cold against his face, they shook with the effort to hold up a twig like arm. His father had already passed from the disease that had swept through the village. The village medicine man had long since stopped coming out to their small hut on the outskirts of the village._

_“Please don’t go.” Daichi whispered._

But she had already passed by that point, never hearing her son's final plea. He had tried to keep his mother's last wish, he had thought he had been a good boy but his uncle and aunt had no patience for him. He was just another mouth to feed when they had so little to begin with, and they made sure he knew it. He had tried to help as much as he could but he was still so young, clumsy in the way children usually were. How many times had he been told to sleep outside or gone to bed without supper because he had dropped a bowl or brought dirt into the house? He had lost count.

Tonight Daichi had knocked into the pot of soup his aunt had been seeing too. Only a little had spilt but both she and his uncle had been furious. Daichi’s face still stung where he had been slapped, and then his uncle had demanded Daichi follow him out into the woods even though it was getting dark and that is when the night creatures came out.

Daichi’s uncle finally stopped, placing the lantern by his feet as he stood beneath a thick oak tree. He unwound rope from his shoulder before tossing it up to loop around the nearest branch. Daichi stood behind his uncle, shifting restlessly as he peered into the darkness around him. He couldn’t hear anything, no songbirds or insects and even at such a young age he knew that was not a good sign.

Daichi was so focused on what was going on around him that he let out a startled yelp when his uncle grabbed him forcibly, dragging him closer to the tree. He hissed at him to be quiet as he wound the rope around Daichi’s wrists, tying them until the material chafed and rubbed the skin there raw. Still Daichi did not say a word even as his arms were put behind his back.

“May the night take you away from us, cursed child.” His uncle spat before snatching up the lantern and stomping away. Daichi tried to follow but the rope stopped him quickly. He struggled against it, throat tight and words caught between on breath and the next as the only light source faded quickly from view.

Soon enough even his uncle's angry footfalls could no longer be heard. Daichi strained against the rope but there was no give. He tried to slip his hands out but only managed to hurt himself worse. His breathing came in quick gasps as he frantically looked around.

Daichi could only whisper for his momma and papa, knowing full well they were far from reach, as he heard something creak forward. He looked to his side as he desperately pushed himself up against the thick tree, tried to hide amongst the roots even as the rope wrenched his shoulders painfully.

Something hissed, answering noises joined in and Daichi could tell he was surrounded, that there was no hiding for him. He closed his eyes as he felt hot breath against his cheek.

Trees groaned and cracked around Daichi, the sudden sound of howling wolves jarring in the almost-quiet. Wind rushed by Daichi and the creature in front of him was gone just as quickly as it appeared. Skin tore, bones were crushed, and the night creatures fled back into the deeper shadows just as something bigger than the hut-sized wolves pushed its way through the trees.

It was not good to speak the names of the creatures who lived in the forest. Daichi’s parents had always taught him to show reverence to the deep woods that surrounded their tiny village. But being a little boy Daichi had enjoyed his fathers story telling, had always pleaded for one more story. The story of the forest guardian, of _the Leshy_ was always a favorite. Even his fathers fantastical stories seemed to pale in comparison to the real thing.

The creature stood as tall as the trees with thick as bark skin and branches that looked like giant horns growing from its massive head. The only reason Daichi could even see it was because of the seemingly hundreds, perhaps thousands, of glowing bugs that hovered around it. It made the large wolves encircling Daichi look like mere pups.

Then it’s large head swerved, horns knocking into the tops of the trees as it peered down to look directly at Daichi. Daichi had heard the tales of _the Leshy_ leading people astray or kidnapping children, his father had never told those tales but whenever such creatures take children it is never for a good purpose. Or so Daichi had heard.

One of the wolves moved closer to Daichi on near silent paws, making Daichi flinch so hard he felt his shoulder shout in pain. With a mighty swipe of a paw as big as Daichi the rope was left in tatters, freeing Daichi from the tree but still leaving him bound. He blinked down at it in confusion before looking up in the dark eyes on the large wolf, who regarded him with a tilted head.

The air began to feel heavy and Daichi’s attention was once again pulled towards _the Leshy_ , watching with wide eyes as the glowing bugs spun around him, watched as he diminished in size but not presence. Because he now appeared fully male, though not quite completely human. The branch horns were left, his skin was still pale though no longer quite as textured as before. Glowing amber eyes regarded Daichi, still towering over him even in his smaller size before he knelt down and reached around the small boy.

Daichi couldn’t help but continue to watch the creature, positive now as he was before that he was going to die this night and could only hope to join his parents once again. But there was only a small tug on the rope before it fell from his wrists in tatters. Daichi brought his hands to rest in his lap, they were bloody from his struggles and from falling on the trip out here. He looked back up into amber eyes, watched as the creature tilted his head just as the wolf had earlier.

The creature spoke in a deep raspy tone, a language Daichi was unfamiliar with that sounded more to do with magic than actual words. The very forest around them seemed to answer, trees shifting in an unfelt wind. He held out his hands in a human-looking gesture. Daichi, exhausted and terrified, hurt and young, held up his own arms as he had done to his parents so many times without thought. A smile lifted the creatures lips, higher on one side than the other, a flash of sharp teeth that Daichi could only worry about for a moment before he was being lifted up.

Daichi was surprised when he was placed upon the very same wolf who had initially approached him. Recognizable for his dark brown fur and the fact that he was nearly the biggest one, though the biggest was standing the furthest back. More noticeable than the rest due to the fact that he was a silvery-white color compared to the others darker furs, but he looked lankier than the rest. Despite being the tallest he looked half grown, like a pup.

They all began to walk as a pack, following behind _the Leshy_ and flanking him on the sides. Daichi was laying down, fingers buried in the thick fur and lulled by the steady sway of the wolves movements and the stove-like heat it radiated from his large body. He thought he saw a bear amongst the wolves but his eyes felt so heavy.

Had he died?

Were they bringing him back to their cave to eat him for supper? It seemed like a waste, he was hardly even a bite to the smallest of the wolves.

_The Leshy_ laughed, it sounded like a cracking branch in the silence of the forest. He turned his head and smiled once more, as if he had read Daichi’s mind. Maybe he had. Daichi pressed himself closer to the wolf and tried not to pout too visibly.

Daichi must have fallen asleep because the next moment he woke up light was touching the sky and one of the wolves was letting out a long, drawn out howl. In front of them was what looked like a couple steps made up from many rocks, steps if a person was a giant. Water was running gently down it, ending in a long stream that fed into a thicker river.

“Kuroo?” A figure made their way down the rock waterfall, motions quick and agile. Tall and lithe and the closer they got the more features Daichi could make out. Like the long black tail with the matching long, tufted tipped ears. “Enough of that noise Yamamoto, some aren’t as nocturnal as you lot.” The words were harsh but the tone was friendly. The wolf cut his song short, tail wagging behind him as the cat-like man came closer.

“I have something for you, Naoi.” _The Leshy_ ’s voice was as raspy as his laugh, heavily accented as if it wasn’t his first language he was speaking.

“Hmm?” Forest folk, Daichi’s sleepy mind provided for him. He had never seen one, there were some villagers that denied their existence but there was no denying what stood before him. Daichi moved, trying to get a better look and caught the eye of the forest folk who was so casually addressing _the Leashy_. Daichi stilled immediately.

“A child?” The cat man said, ears pinned back as he looked over at _the Leshy_. “A human child?”

“He thought we were going to take him back to our cave and eat him.” _The Leshy_ reached up, plucking Daichi easily from the back of the dark brown wolf. “We only eat naughty children.”

“Kuroo!” Big hands took Daichi away from _the Leshy_ without a fight. He was settled on a hip, soft brown eyes looking down at him with kindness that Daichi had not been subjected to in a long while. Daichi felt his own eyes well up with tears despite desperately fighting against it. “No one will eat you, I promise.”

_The Leshy_ spoke in that ancient-sounding language once again. The cat-man hugged Daichi to him, he was much bigger than expected, and warm.

“If anyone does try to eat you little Dai, you tell me about them.” _The Leshy_ said, amber eyes glowing eerily as he flashed a mouth full of sharp teeth before turning on his heel and disappearing into the forest with his wolves, and yes one massive bear, following behind him.

“Poor sweet child.” The cat-man sighed, looking down at Daichi with a crease between his brows. “You must be exhausted, would you like a safe place to sleep? My name is Naoi,” He explained as he made his way swiftly up the rock waterfall, effortlessly using one hand to pull them both up when he could not jump the distance. “You can stay with my mate and I for however long you wish.” Daichi was still exhausted, he was hungry and his arms were throbbing in pain. He wasn’t sure if he could trust this Naoi but he desperately wanted to.

  
But perhaps if the forest folk turned out to be as mean as his aunt and uncle than Daichi could always run back to _the Leshy_ and the promise of protection he had offered with a sharp toothed grin.


End file.
